On Thursday, Feb 28, a man disappeared along with his bed into a huge cavity that formed right under his bedroom in Tampa, Florida. Following the incident, another sinkhole was reported down in Dormont, Pennsylvania, swallowing down a parking lot at Dormont Pool.
The sinkhole mishaps have scared people. However, Geologists have assured that sinkholes are common and not usually catastrophic.
Sinkholes like the one in Florida are called cover-collapse sinkholes and are very rare. They occur as a result of slight acidic groundwater dissolving underground limestone that leads the upper soil ceiling to give way to the pressure of whatever lies on top of it. It usually takes minutes to hours for it to get bigger and if spotted at the right time, casualties can be safely avoided.
Sinkholes do appear suddenly, but once you spot them in areas like your backyard or the lawn, you still have time to fix it.
EHow.com has enumerated a few steps on how to repair a sinkhole in your backyard or lawn:
- Finding the cause of the sinkhole is of utmost importance. If the sinkhole is being caused due to decaying tree roots or a broken water pipe washing away the sub-soil, you can fix it by removing the pavement and relaying it with gravel. However, if the sinkhole is caused due to dissolving rock or substrata, you must seek professional help.
- Excavate and dig out the hole to find its depth and reach the base. Fill the hole up with dirt and soil to stop further erosion. You may use rocks, coarse gravel and garbage to fill up the hole to the sub-soil level.
- Every six inches, tamp down the new soil firm enough so your foot doesn't sink in more than ¼ inches.
- Cover the area with landscaping cloth and observe the hole for a day or two. If you find soil still corroding, call the community authorities and consult a geologist.
For more information on repairing sinkholes, click here.
Prevention is always better than cure. Do not ignore even a small hole if you spot one. Sinkholes also affect home values. The proximity and repair history of a sinkhole prone area home affects the value of the property the most.
